The Hole

This is in a community in Santiago, DR. It is built around this trash dump that is in and around the river. I was given the opportunity to work on the quite needed water purification system here. I also got a chance to explore a little on the other side of the river via this bridge,


I spoke with several people around the area that gave me some insight into the community and I also got a chance to talk with a pastor across the river. It was unbelievable to see the filth the people live in. You could also see where complete houses had fallen into the river. The man I am speaking to in the next picture had two or three family members lose houses to this foundational problem.Our last day we spent several hours teaching adults and kids health education. This is an awesome opportunity because a little information and clean water can prevent parasites and the like. I was in a skit showing the harmful effects of unclean water. The people in the picture represent germs from dirty water(like from the river).

La Gringa!

My friend Julia from SAMBICA is in CR this semester too. We met up Sunday and went to church with some friends of mine. I enjoyed the service because many of the songs were American praise songs with the words switched to spanish. It was nice to know what I was singing to the Lord. After the service there was a picnic. We shared food and the men played soccer. I desperately wanted to play but had on a dress and nice flip flops.
Julia and I decided to be bold and try to speak with some of the Ticas at the picnic, we were excited to be invited to play soccer with them. Still a bad idea but I tied a jacket around my waiste and went for it. At one point someone on the opposite team stopped the game and brought to everyone's attention the fact that all girls over the age of 10 had left my team aside from me. It was a bunch of people my age against "Los niños y la gringa" (kids and the white girl). But no one on the other team would switch to the bad team. I spent the rest of the game hearing "La gringa! A la gringa!" and trying to encourage my team of niños with the little spanish I have.

Tranquilo

In orientation we learned that ticos are generally much more laid back than americans. The word they use to describe this lifestyle is tranquilo. Almost every time I've been either late or worried about something before I can get my excuse out I hear, tranquilo. It's actually fantastic.
There has been a group of around ten here at the house with me for the past two weeks. I have enjoyed hearing their stories of eye-glasses clinics and installing water purifiers. Right now they are doing disaster relief work in the area near the recent earthquake. Until they return I will be living with one other girl named Tatiana, who only speaks spanish. I'm glad to be forced to speak in spanish.
Last Thursday I went to an impoverished neighborhood called La Carpio. It was insane. There were probably fifty kids. Honestly, I don't want to go back. The kids were so rough, it made me nervous. But the more I've thought about it the more I think that is all the more reason to go. The kids loved being played with and held.

Here are some pics from my school, ending with the view.